Ticklish
by Botsey
Summary: Spock loves the sound of Nyota's laughter and how that expression was torment for another male.


A/N For those of you who have read my story entitled, 'What Are You Looking At' you might remember the OC named Roosevelt. As a secondary story within this story, you will be reintroduced to this tragic character—who is a victim of unrequited love, love for Nyota.

This piece was discovered on my hard drive that. I have attempted to see if it had found its way here as a chapter of another story. I was unable to locate such. However, if anyone has found this story in that setting, please let me know.

Botsey

Ticklish...

But not always funny

Spock loved to hear Nyota laugh. Perhaps the reason being, such sound was not one that would normally pass through a Vulcans's lips or in his case, a half-Vulcan's. Even after his marriage, bonding and living with his wife for seven years, he did not tire of hearing it, nor was he by close association, able to acquire the ability to learn such behavior.

So, Nyota had never heard her husband laugh, What she was unaware of was that every seven years that sound was the aural signal that the male Vulcan had successfully come through his Pon Farr experience. Such laughter was deeply charged with long repressed emotions.

Although not as yet privy to that wondrous sound, on very rare occasions, in the privacy of their bedroom, she had seen the equivalent of a 'Vulcan smile'. Her husband's head would tilt to the right and that was accompanied by an equally rare Vulcan sigh and his lips would turn upward, oh so slightly, and on most of those instances she would kiss each corner of his mouth and say,

"Today, I saw a Vulcan smile."

A human quirk that Spock was totally unaware of was that some humans, most of them female, were ticklish. The areas for this sensitivity could usually be identified as the neck, bottom of the feet, under the arms, or sometimes, the waist

As a youth Nyota's weakness was known to all her brothers. If any of them walked toward her, flexing their fingers in the common gesture that indicated their intent, she would attempt to escape. If this was an impossibility, she would gather herself up, like a ball, knees close to her chin, hands gripping her legs, in order to protect the sensitive area. The known target was the back of her knees. But one slight girl against four brothers could never be a stalemate.

Their approach would cause peals of laughter and if they did carry out their non-verbal threat the reward was her total collapse. Of course, her brothers kept this information as a guarded secret for their little sister was totally helpless under these circumstances. An unscurupulous male could use that weakness as a weapon of control against her.

But it was known, heaven help any who would contemplate such an action. The Wakagunzi clan were descendants of warrior kings, The bearing, mindset, appearance and cohesiveness all gave evidence to that. A male attempting to do injury to any of the wives would have to beware. Of more serious nature would be injury to 'The Treasure', the clan's designation for Nyota. The perpetrator would not fare well, not well at all.

`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`

Jabari and Joseph had a good friend, Roosevelt M'musuda. Although not a blood relative, he shared common lineage with them, as did all the Wakafunzis. He was three years older than Nyota, a very handsome, muscular fifteen year old. He had been smitten by Nyota from the moment he first saw her. At times, in her presence he would sit by himself on a rock and pretend himself involved with some unknown activity, just to be in close proximity to her. Thus he would be in a position to admire her, to hear her laughter and to dream of having her as his wife. As a teenager these dreams were as tangible as whist of smoke, but how he wished it to become a reality.

He studied her movements. She was still a gangling little girl, but he saw past that, he saw what she would become and it made his heart stop.

In games she was swift and difficult to stop or entangle. She had just slipped from the grasp of two of her brothers and then started running toward him.

"Roos, don't you want to play?"

He knew better than play a game that might require him to touch her so he just put his head down and said,

"No Ny, I have a lot on my mind."

This was not an idle excuse because things were not going well at his house. He so wished his home was like the Uhuras—peaceful, clean, organized. Three years after his mother's death his father had brought another wife into the home. She was much younger than his father and Roosevelt certainly didn't trust her. She was not n efficient housewife, not a good mother to his two yunger siblings, Josiah and Judah, but his father's eyes were blinded and his step-mother was able to get his father to do anything—even really irrational, hurtful actions.

The circumstances at home explained why he spent so much time with the Uhura males. All but one was older than he, and the youngest, Simon and he, were born just one day apart.

Nyota was the baby and was the considered the family and clans 'treasure' because she was the first female born to both in three hundred years.

Because that was the fact, of course, all Wakafunzi males had to marry out of the clan. These males mirrored the mindset of the clan in their selection of mates who were from varied races, species or tribes. This clan members meetings could be liken to miniature United Planet's gathering.

Another thing that set this group apart was their older male's appearance. Although this group had mixed with the Watusi, which of course accounted for their height, however, these males did not mirror that tribes slim, tall build. The Wakafunzi males' bodies were muscular and the older males wore their hair in a braid that was never cut. By adulthood it was not uncommon for the braid to reach their waist. It was worn down their back and did indeed set them apart.

As the younger clan members had reached out even to other species, from other worlds their offspring would not mirror those older males. As a matter of fact, probably within one generation, there would be so much divirsity, a Wakafunzi member might have to carry an identification card. But, all were handsome imposing figures.

`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`

Roosevelt knew that eventually he would have to leave home although he knew the anchor that kept him in Kenya was Nyota. She had been in accelerated classes so when she turned fifteen and he was eighteen they both were going to graduate. His desire was that they would go to the senior dance together.

She had already begun to change. Her appearance turned heads and she certainly was not aware of his feelings toward her. She was at the top of her class, had already been studying online with Harvard University and spoke most local dialects and scores of other languages. He had oft time questioned himself,

'What could she do with those talents in this tiny corner of this giant continent?'

For sure, anyone with her for a short period of time would realize her 'head was in the clouds,' no really, her eyes were on the stars.

Roosevelt had heard all the talk about her, on a few occasions he had rescued her from harassing males, but always Nyota carried herself like royalty. He did not need offspring to validate him, he would marry her and take her away from all this if she would have him. It was still too early for him to cross that bridge but he hoped if she would accompany him to the senior dance he could let her know how he felt and she would allow them to plan their future.

When he approached her with the intent of asking her to accompany him he was carrying a long stem rose behind his back. She was smiling as he walked toward her. She was waving a letter she held in her hand.

"Roos, Roos, you will never believe it. I have an appointment for an interview by representatives of Star Fleet Academy. I can't believe it. Can you imagine that. It is the answer to my deepest hopes. Are you not happy for me?"

It was if the rose he held behind him instantly wilted. He held it out to her and said,

"Then accept this as a congratulatory gift."

"Oh Roos, that is so thoughtful. Thank you, how did you know?"

"A little bird, perhaps…"

"You are so sweet, you are my other brother, Simon's fraternal twin," she said that as she buried her face in the blossom and then she faced him and there were tears in her eyes.

"I guess you have plans for your future also? Where will you be headed?

Roosevelt thought to himself,

'Yes, yes I did have plans that included you my dearest Nyota…" He bowed his head and swallowed hard, and took her elbow in his hand as he led her to walk with him.

"Well it is certain that the two of us will be leaving here—I have no doubt that Star Fleet will grab you. I plan on going to Xenos2, my mother's brother has been encouraging me to come there. He has no children and wants to train me in his business. I guess you could say we will both be saying goodbye to "The Motherland'. When is your scheduled interview?"

"Next week, Wednesday…in the morning."

"I will be leaving next weekend. I probably won't have time for the senior dance, too many things to do."

She nodded,

"Same here."

He thought, his only purpose for attending that occasion was now moot. He promised himself, when she comes back home, I will find her here."

"You have to come for dinner before you leave."

"I'll do that."

She stood on tiptoes and he had the compulsion to turn his face quickly so their lips would touch and thought better of it. It would accomplish absolutely nothing, except make his longing more painful and his heart ache more debilitating.


End file.
